RADIO Pakistan and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Friday signed a very important Memorandum of Understanding to launch Radio School to promote distance learning in the country. Under the agreement, the national broadcaster will run four-hour transmission daily from Tuesday next based on the content to be provided by the Ministry of Education to provide primary-level education to the children.
Despite the proliferation of private television channels in the country, Radio Pakistan indeed is still the most effective and truly mass medium of communication, reaching millions of people instantly. As the second wave of Covid-19 is taking its toll and the federal and provincial governments are considering closure of educational institutions once again, the initiative of Radio School is a big step and a step in the right direction to reach those children in the far flung areas who have no access to electricity and the internet. As Radio Pakistan covers every nook and corner of Pakistan, the children from Gilgit to Gwadar will be able to get education from this initiative. In fact this should have been launched much earlier side by side with the tele-school to achieve the desired results. We will recommend the transmission of Radio School should be further increased to at least six hours covering all the subjects. It is also responsibility of the Education Ministry to provide quality content to the national broadcaster so that the children could truly benefit from the initiative. Allama Iqbal University should also come forward and work in close coordination with Radio Pakistan for promotion of distance learning. Having said so, it is really regrettable that over the years Radio Pakistan has been ignored by the successive governments. No work has been done to introduce latest technology in it. Its age old transmitters frequently break down. Given the role played by the organization especially during calamities and promoting the narrative of the country, we will ask the government to work towards reviving its old glory and provide necessary funds for the digitization and modernization of Radio Pakistan.
